Halloween Mishaps
by Safaia Bara
Summary: It’s Halloween! Which means the aliens can go out without getting into trouble. So, what are they going to do? Kisshu has an idea…K/I, P/R, T/P; contest with KeiiyakoMinto


Konnichiwa minna-san! Okay, this was supposed to be a little contest between me and KeiiyakoMinto. Unfortunately, mine is a little late, and Ai-chan is having trouble with FF, so hers won't be up for a few days. These are the _updated_ rules:

1) Ends with the pairings: Kisshu/Ichigo, Pai/Retasu, and Taruto/Purin  
2) Must be more than 2 thousand words  
3) Must have at least 1 kissing scene for each couple

Summary: It's Halloween! Which means the aliens can go out without getting into trouble. So, what are they going to do? Kisshu has an idea…K/I, P/R, T/P; contest with KeiiyakoMinto

# of words: !0,343

I want to apologize in advance for any OOCness. (And my fic is based solely on the manga.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew. The characters and story are the property of Mia Ikumi and Reiko Yoshida. I do own this storyline. (I also do NOT own Pai's nickname for Retasu- that belongs to my good friend Banana Skittle, who was kind enough to let me use it. Arigato!)

**

* * *

****HALLOWEEN MISHAPS**

The young, green-haired boy sat on a branch in his favorite tree overlooking the park. Well, his second favorite tree, aside from the one just outside the window of his kitten's bedroom. His legs were outstretched in front of him, crossed at the ankles, while his arms were folded across his chest.

As his golden eyes lazily scanned over the passersby, searching for something to do since Ichigo was working at the café, he noticed that many people were walking around with bags and bags of candy dragging behind them. Just then, a strong breeze shot through the park, rustling the warm-colored leaves and making the reds, oranges, and yellows dance to the whistle of the wind.

From his perch, Kisshu saw a family of four- a mother and three young children- struggling to walk against the wind. The woman's hat was swept away and she chased after it, her children in tow. In all of that commotion, the mother had dropped her purchases and the contents of said packages spilled out onto the pavement. Strange garments of blue, pink, black, and red littered the pavement, catching the alien's attention.

"What the…" What was going on? Why was everyone buying sweets? What were those strange clothes?

Perhaps Pai had the answer?

* * *

"Pai?"

Silence

"Pai?!"

Silence

"PAI!"

"Yes, Kisshu?" the older alien snapped, his indigo eyes reluctantly tearing away from the thick book his nose had been buried in, only to glare directly into Kisshu's golden orbs. "What do you want?"

Kisshu had found his elder comrade lounging about in the study. After the battle with the mew mews, the aliens had returned home and used the mew aqua to restore their home planet, creating a magnificent utopia. But Kisshu was still depressed. He had told Ichigo that as long as she was happy, so was he.

That was a lie.

He had only said that to appease the girl he loved. Yes, he still loved her, even more so than before. So much that he _couldn't_ live without her. So, after much nagging and begging from the green haired alien, Pai had invented a teleporting machine that allowed them to visit Earth in a nanosecond. All three aliens spent _so_ much time on Earth, they had built their own house there.

Pai was sitting in an old, antique-looking, moss green armchair with intricately carved wooden legs. The floor was a lovely cherry wood with a lacquered finish, upon which three desk and chair sets, made of cherry wood as well, were sparsely placed around the room along with other cushions and couches. Along the far left wall were six or seven highly advanced computer systems used "strictly for research" as Pai put it. To the right of Pai's lounge chair was a wooden spiral staircase with a brass handrail that led to the enormous library above.

"Well, there's no need to get your undies in a bunch! I was just wondering if you know what's going on down on earth. All of the humans are walking around with costumes and candy…"

"I believe you are referring to what humans call "All Hallow's Eve" or "Halloween". It's an occasion each year where humans, usually children, dress up in costumes and travel from residence to residence while the adults hand out candy. Humans call it 'Trick or Treating.'" he explained curtly before returning to his previous activity.

That is, until Kisshu snatched the book from his hands and quickly teleported to the top of the spiral staircase.

"Aww, come on Pai! I know you know more than you're letting on! What's so great about this old book anyway?" He looked down at the cover of the red, leather bound book. In bold golden lettering it read: "Red Data Animals". "Well, well, well. What have we here?" he muttered. Opening it to the page Pai had been looking at, Kisshu's eyes widened slightly before narrowing as a sly smirk played upon his lips. "…most finless porpoises are timid and hard to approach…"

Pai pursed his lips and growled low in his throat.

"What's the matter, Pai?" Kisshu asked, an evil grin on his face. "You were just brushing up on your studies, weren't you?" he added, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

At that moment, Taruto glided into the room. Well, more or less. His pant pockets were so loaded down, his feet were practically dragging on the floor.

Kisshu let out a mirthful laugh at the sight before discarding the book and teleporting to confront the youngest alien. The older boy crouched down and began prodding at the contents of one of the pockets.

"Hey, squirt, whatchya got in there?" he asked, grinning mischievously up at the brunette.

Taruto slapped Kisshu's hand away and crossed his arms in a huff. "None of your business!" he snapped back.

"Jeez! Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!" Kisshu pouted playfully before a wicked smirk dominated his features. Before Taruto had a chance to move, the emerald-haired alien teleported behind him, grabbed him by the ankles, pulled him upside down, and began shaking him as the pockets were quickly emptied. The hard cherry wood floor was soon covered in an ocean of reds, yellows, and blues.

Kisshu looked at the rolling objects quizzically.

"Candy drops?"

Candy drops. Twenty-five to thirty candy drops now spread across the ground in waves, some rolling while others were bouncing along on the wood flooring.

"Well, well. Look at what we've got here. Hmmm. I wonder where you got these from." Kisshu's smirk returned as Taruto freed himself from the older alien's clutches. Looking from Pai to Taruto, both sporting a light blush, the emerald-haired boy couldn't help but grin. "I guess I'm not the only one in love with one of those adorable little mew mews!" he laughed, as his mind was formulating an "ingenious" plan to win them over…

"And I know just how to get them…"

* * *

"NYA!"

The cat-eared heroine flopped down into the café chair and started to lightly bang her head on the table. Midorikawa Retasu looked at her friend sympathetically.

"Um…is something bothering you, Ichigo?" she asked, as Fon Purin came bounding into the room, hyper as usual.

"Today just isn't my day. Ryou docked my pay because I was late again. I was supposed to have Sunday off, but Minto is going away for a week, and I have to cover her shift as well as my own, not to mention I was supposed to go to a Halloween party with Masaya tomorrow night."

"Supposed to?"

"He called me on my break and cancelled our date. His sister is in the hospital for surgery and he has to be there to help his parents through the ordeal. So I have nothing to do tomorrow…How about you, Retasu?" Momomiya Ichigo mumbled as she lifted head from the now smudged table.

Retasu sighed as she wiped down the table that now had Ichigo's forehead imprints. "I'm not doing anything either. My family went to visit my grandmother in Kyoto, so I'm house sitting. Purin?"

"I have nothing doing tomorrow night either. The nanny is taking Chancha, Hanacha, Lucha, Honcha, and Heicha trick-or-treating so I can have the night off, but I want to go trick-or-treating 'cause I'm out of candy drops!"

The older girls looked at the blond-haired child for a moment before Ichigo spoke up.

"Um, Purin. What happened to that tin full of candy you had in your kitchen?"

Purin looked away, a rosy tint touching her cheeks. "I gave them to Taru-Taru." she said softly.

Before the red and green-haired girls could press the subject any further, their blond boss strode into the room and up the stairs, stopping halfway up.

"Okay, girls. You can go."

Ichigo looked up at him questionably. "You're letting us go early?" she asked as her eyebrows rose in suspicion.

"Of course! I can't have my best waitresses falling asleep on the job, now can I?" he asked, a mysterious glint in his sky-blue eyes. Then, grinning, Ryou added, "Especially since you'll be coming in two hours earlier tomorrow…"

"What!?" they all shouted in unison. "What are you talking about?!"

"We're introducing a new pastry for Halloween, and we need you three to help set up."

"But….but…. I have school!!!"

Retasu piped up, "Actually, Ichigo, all of the schools in the district are closed for another week and a half, due to flooding. Remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Stupid practical jokers." she mumbled.

Ryou smirked. "Well then, I guess I'll see the three of you bright and early in the morning."

"Yes, Shirogane." they replied, once again, in unison, with Retasu sporting a light blush.

When Ichigo pulled her strawberry-shaped purse from the café locker, a small folded up slip of paper fell to the floor. The red-haired mew picked it up, opened it, and read it through, her eyes widening with each and every word.

"Retasu! Purin! Come here! Quickly!" The two girls hurried over. "Listen to this!"

"_Dear Ichigo, Retasu, and Purin, _

_You are cordially invited to join us on a date tomorrow night. There will be a stroll in the moonlight and trick-or-treating for the younger couple. We will be arriving at the café to pick you up promptly at seven. Costumes are a must. See you then. _

_Signed--Your secret admirers."_

The three mews exchanged excited glances.

"Should we go?" Retasu asked quietly, still being the cautious one of the group.

"Why not? We've got nothing else to do. But what can we wear for costumes?" Ichigo responded as she refolded the paper and stuffed it in her purse.

Purin's hand shot up in the air as she jumped up and down. "I know! We can transform into our Mew outfits!"

"I guess it's settled then." Ichigo smiled at her friends before they finished getting ready to leave.

Retasu, reluctant to spoil the moment, asked, "Ichigo? What about Masaya?"

"What about him?"

"Well, aren't you two dating? Wouldn't you be cheating on him?"

Ichigo's smile never faded. "We are dating, but not exclusively. We have an open relationship. It was Masaya's idea. He noticed that we were growing apart and I agreed. It's like they say, 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'!"

So they agreed to see who their mystery dates were going to be.

The leader of the mew mews skipped home merrily with a great big grin on her face…

* * *

"Well, I'm off!"

"My, my. You're leaving early." Momomiya Sakura turned away from her cooking and smiled at her daughter.

Momomiya Shintaro folded his newspaper and placed it on the table, taking a sip of his coffee. "Yeah, kiddo, what's the rush?"

"Ryou wants us in early today to present a new product." Ichigo replied as she grabbed her jacket and stuck her arms through the sleeves. As an afterthought, she added, "And I'm going to be late coming home tonight."

Her father's eyebrow twitched in aggravation and his voice rang out. "HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, young lady!" Ichigo yelped in surprise and dropped the shoe she had been holding. "Now, why are you going to be home late tonight?"

Ichigo sweatdropped and shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. "Ummmm…I have a date…"

Her mother's smile brightened. "Oh, that's great, sweetheart. Is it with the nice Aoyama boy?"

The redhead couldn't help but smile at her mother's enthusiasm. "No…actually, it's a blind date. I have a secret admirer."

Sakura beamed. "That's wonderful! How exciting!!!"

Shintaro, however, wasn't nearly as pleased; he was furious. "WHAT!? YOU'RE GOING ON A DATE, ALONE AT NIGHT, WITH SOME BOY YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW? I FORBID IT!!"

"But--but---DAD! I'm not going to be alone. It's a group date. I'm going to be with Retasu and Purin!" Ichigo reasoned, which seemed to placate her father somewhat.

"Fine. But I want you home by eleven."

Ichigo grinned. "Thank you!" She ran over to give each of her parents a kiss on the cheek before racing out the door.

For some unexplainable reason, she couldn't wait to go on her date.

* * *

The day sped by surprisingly fast. Pretty soon, there was only a quarter of an hour left before the mystery dates would arrive. The girls spent every spare moment the could find trying to figure out who the boys were. Ryou's nerves were starting to wear thin.

"ENOUGH!!" If you girls want to stand around and chit chat, then go gossip someplace where I'm not!!"

Retasu's eyes began to water and she ran out of the kitchen. Ryou's stomach lurched. He hadn't meant any harm, he just couldn't control his temper.

Ichigo and Purin glared at their blond-headed boss.

"Way to go, Ryou!"

"You big meanie!"

With that, the other mews chased after their green-haired comrade, leaving Ryou to wallow in his self loathing.

The girls found Retasu sitting hunched over in a café chair sobbing into her hands. Their hearts began breaking at the sight. They raced over and embraced their friend.

"Don't worry 'bout him. You're not going to let that jerk ruin our night, right?" Ichigo cooed, trying to calm down the porpoise mew.

Retasu looked up at them with a watery smile and wiped away the remaining tears with the back of her hand. She nodded slowly.

The red-haired teen grinned. "Good. Besides, why worry about him when you've got a secret admirer coming to see you?" she added, elbowing her playfully in the side, and all three girls laughed.

"Mew Mew Strawberry! Metamorphosis!"

"Mew Mew Retasu! Metamorphosis!"

"Mew Mew Purin! Metamorphosis!"

"Hello ladies!"

_That voice!_

Ichigo let out a low growl. "I'm really not in the mood for this right now, Kisshu. I don't have time to kick your butt right n-." All three mew mews turned around and gasped.

Standing at the entrance of the café, each holding a bouquet of different colored roses, were their former other worldly foes. Pai wearing a deep amethyst colored cape that nearly reached the floor, Kisshu in an emerald green one, and Taruto in a ruby red one .

"TARU--TARU!" the blonde mew rushed forward and hugged the youngest male, nearly squeezing the life out of the poor alien.

"Purin…get offa…me!! Can't…breathe!"

"Sorry, Taru-Taru." she apologized, grinning.

Once she let go, Taruto thrust the yellow roses towards her and quickly turned his head to the side. No doubt he was trying to hide the obvious blush that burned his cheeks.

"Awwww! They're so pretty! Thank you Taru-Taru!"

"Don't call me that…." the brunette mumbled under his breath as he forced back a smile.

Pai strode forth in a business-like manner and handed Retasu a bouquet of blue roses, his face tinted a light pink that almost went unnoticed by the green-haired girl. The fact that he was blushing gave her reason enough to blush as well, though she hid it well behind the flowers.

She inhaled deeply and smiled shyly up at the purple-haired alien. "They're lovely, Pai. Thank you."

"Well, according to my research, females of the human species have a positive response to receiving flowers during courting…I found that roses are more romantic…I mean…um…you're welcome?"

The final "secret admirer" couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head at his comrade's flustered stammering. Being the devilishly charming man he was, Kisshu teleported a few feet in front of "his woman" while she was looking elsewhere. He then grinned when she yelped in surprised.

"Nya! Kisshu! Don't do that! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" she scolded, clutching her chest.

"Sorry Koneko-chan. I couldn't help myself." he replied, still grinning as he handed her a bouquet of red roses. "So, are you surprised?"

Ichigo smirked. "Surprised that you're my secret admirer? Oddly enough, yes I am."

Kisshu cocked his head to the side in a curious manner. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked with a playful pout.

The pink-haired mew snickered. "Oh come on. A secret admirer? You? Hardly! Every time you see me you tell me how much you like me- how is that a secret?"

The emerald-haired boy just smirked back at her. "You're wrong."

"Huh?"

"I've _never_ told you how much I like you. I've only ever told you how much I _love_ you." he whispered seductively.

"O-oh…" Ichigo's face went beet red.

An awkward silence fell over the group until Keiichiro poked his head in from the kitchen. "Are you girls still here? Haven't your mystery dates arrived…yet…" The pastry chef smiled knowingly as he walked into the room and took the flowers from the three girls. "I'll go put these in some water for you. Now get going before you lose more time. See you girls on Sunday. Have fun!" he called over his shoulder as he briskly walked back through the swinging double doors.

* * *

Not long after they left the café, Purin and Taruto ran ahead to start their trick-or-treating spree, leaving the other two couples to stroll along behind them in the park.

A slightly chilled breeze blew past, and Ichigo could feel a layer of goose-bumps form on her delicate, peach skin. Before she took another step, she was surrounded by warmth. Kisshu had draped his emerald green cape over her delicate shoulders. Looking out of the corner of her eye, the pink haired mew mew saw her date staring ahead, but with an innocent smile on his face. She turned towards him and gave a small, grateful smile.

"Thanks."

Kisshu turned towards her and returned her smile with a warm one of his own. "Not a problem." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and was surprised, none the less pleased, that she didn't flinch or pull away from him. Though she hadn't snuggled up to him either, it was still a step in the right direction.

* * *

Not but a few yards behind the pink and green couple, Pai and Retasu silently strolled along the path. Somehow the quiet made the pair feel comfortable yet awkward at the same time. Comfortable that they were in each other's company. Awkward because neither could think of a single thing to say…

The green haired mew finally broke the ice, but with a question that surprised them both.

"Um, Pai?"

"Hmm?" He looked down at her with those deep indigo eyes, making the girl blush prettily and turn away.

"Please don't think me rude, but I'm a little curious. Why me?"

The couple stopped walking and Retasu looked back up at him to find the eldest alien actually smiling down at her.

"Why you? How can you even ask me that?"

Retasu looked down and blushed yet again. "Well, I don't understand. I mean, I'm no different than any other girl. I'm nothing special-" She was stopped by a thin finger pressed gently to her lips. That finger then lifted her chin so her emerald eyes met his amethyst ones.

"But you are special." he cooed. "Very special. You're beautiful, intelligent, kind, and caring. You have even risked your own life to save a child. See? You are very special…and _that_ is a fact…" he whispered, his face growing ever closer to hers with each word. Her eyes slowly closed and she could feel his warm breath gently brushing over her cheeks. His lips were mere inches away from hers when…

"Yo! You guys comin' or what?"

Pai growled as the couple reluctantly pulled away and looked up towards the top of the hill.

Standing there in all of his glory, with the pale harvest moon illuminating his thin silhouette, was a wildly smirking Kisshu. "Oh, I'm so _sorry_! Am I interrupting something?" he asked sarcastically. He just loved getting Pai riled up.

Suddenly, and seemingly out of nowhere, Ichigo was standing next to him and gave him a playful, yet painful punch on the arm.

"Ouch! What did I do Koneko-chan?" He feigned an innocent expression while still rubbing his sore arm.

"You just ruined the moment!"

Kisshu pouted. "I'm sorry Kitten. If it will make you happy, I'll leave them alone…" Quick as lightening, his pout turned into a wicked grin and he pulled the pink haired girl close, sandwiching her hands between their chests. He grasped her chin in his slender fingers. "…but only if I get a kiss first."

As he tilted her head up a bit, she slid one of her hands up his chest and cupped his cheek. "Oh, Kisshu…" she moaned breathily as her fingers curled around a lock of his silky emerald hair.

"Ichigo…"he murmured while his eyes drifted closed. "Ichig-OW! OW! Ouch! Hey! That hurts!"

Ichigo's delicate hand had run through his green locks and pinched his oversized, and overly-sensitive ear, just as a mother would when scolding a child. Her voice was sweet with a menacing undertone. "Kisshu. Try that again, and your ear won't be the only thing that hurts." she whispered as she pulled away and her eyes trailed down his toned body, stopping _somewhere_ on his lower half…

Kisshu gulped. He was definitely NOT going to risk it- he wanted children! Children with Ichigo that is. He smiled dreamily at that thought of him and Ichigo sitting on the front porch swing, his arm wrapped around her with her head resting on his shoulder, the green and red haired children running around the yard…

The faint, sweet voice of an angel pulled him from his reverie and his eyes focused on a pouting mew mew with her arms folded across her chest. The alien smiled sheepishly.

Ichigo let out an exasperated sigh. "You know Kisshu. If you're just going to stand there doing nothing, then we can just forget the date and I'll go home."

A look of absolute horror crossed Kisshu's already pale face, as he watched the girl of his dreams turn around and start walking away.

However, he failed to catch sight of the small smirk that played upon her lips as she sauntered off.

The emerald haired alien quickly teleported in front of the girl and grabbed her shoulders. "No, wait Ichigo! Don't leave! I didn't mean to zone out on you…like…that…" His voice trailed off when he saw his kitten giggling at his expense. He smirked in return. "Oh, that was mean, Koneko-chan."

"Yeah? Then why don't you do something about it?" she whispered playfully.

Kisshu leaned forward and whispered his reply. "I plan to…when you least expect it."

* * *

Soon after, the teens caught up with the younger couple, whose pillowcases were already nearly half full with sweets.

"Well, you guys seem to be off to a good start." Retasu commented, smiling.

"Yeah! We're having a lot of fun. Right Taru-Taru?

"Don't call me that!" the brunette whined.

Ichigo winked and grinned knowingly. "Come on midget. You know you like it."

Being the immature boy that he was, Taruto stuck his tongue out at the older girl. "I do not! Shut up, you old hag!"

Kisshu cleared his throat loudly and gave the younger alien a deadly glare that simply said "Shut-your-mouth-if-you-know-what's-good-for-you".

Taruto quickly grabbed Purin's hand and ran to the next treat-filled house. Pretty soon, the two older mews were exhausted, especially since the brunette and blonde had scarfed down half of the candy they had gotten, making them three times more hyper than normal.

As the children ran up the next walkway, Ichigo and Retasu leaned against the closest telephone pole while their dates stood behind them, hidden in the shadows.

* * *

"Hey, bro? How much candy is left in that stupid bowl?"

"We still have about half."

"Damn!"

The two brothers sat on their living room couch in their vampire costumes, bored as hell. Just then the doorbell rang long and loud.

"Hey, why don't we try to at least get a scare out of these brats. I mean, we've got nothing better to do since we can't go out until this crap is done." the elder brother suggested.

"Sure, why not?"

The two boys crept up to the door and opened it slowly, making it creek eerily, and being sure not to be seen by the trick-or-treaters.

"Trick or…treat?" The two children looked around before locking confused gazes.

Just then, two "vampires" jumped out from behind the door, screeching and moaning like idiots.

Purin and Taruto burst into laughter at the sight as the two older boys growled in aggravation.

That is, until the younger boy elbowed his older brother in the ribs and cocked his head towards the road.

There, illuminated by the lamplight, stood two angels dressed in Tokyo Mew Mew costumes. The two teen boys smirked deviously. The younger brother dumped the rest of the candy into the brunette and blonde's pillowcases and shut the door in their faces. The children blinked owlishly a few times before grinning and running off with their spoils.

The brothers peered out of the window to see the kids run up to those two beauties, show them the treats, and sprint off towards their next destination. The guys exchanged glances before racing out the door.

* * *

Ichigo and Retasu had decided to let the hyperactive Purin and Taruto come back when their bags were full.

"So tired…" the lead mew whined, earning her a chuckle from the shadowy figure behind her.

"Oh, come on kitten. It isn't that bad. If you can't handle this, then how can you help me take care of our children?"

"_Excuse me_?"

Retasu couldn't help but giggle at the banter between the two of them, and Pai snickered as well. Ichigo surprised herself when she smiled too. She couldn't believe that she was having a good time…with her perverted stalker, no less!

But their fun and games came to a sudden halt as two unfamiliar voices pierced the cool night air.

"Hi girls."

The mews and hidden aliens looked up to find two teenage boys, one looking to be about eighteen, the other sixteen, wearing very poorly made vampire costumes and staring at the girls with lust-filled eyes.

Kisshu and Pai eyed the intruders warily, but stayed in the shadows. After all their dates were mew mews, powerful, strong, and prideful of it. But they silently agreed to step in without hesitation if need be.

The two unknown males inched forward, the elder grabbed Retasu's wrist wile the younger wrapped his arms tightly around Ichigo's waist, both with incredible speed.

The older boy spoke first. "We're on our way to a party, and you two will have the honor of being our dates."

"Yes, so let's go have some fun." the other brother finished, smirking wickedly.

The girls were terrified as they struggled to break free. Sure, they could take down a Kirema Anima in a snap, no problem. But horny teenage boys…

THAT was a whole different story.

"Let go of me you stupid perverted jerk!" Ichigo screeched. "Kisshu! Help!" Had it been under different circumstances, the pink mew would have laughed a the irony. She was asking her perverted stalker to save her from another pervert.

"Leave me alone!" Retasu pleaded with her attacker. "Pai!" she whimpered as the boy squeezed her wrist tighter.

That was the final straw.

Loud growling suddenly erupted from the darkness and two pairs of narrowed, devilish eyes appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

The two figures stepped into the light, their faces still half shrouded in shadow. Pearly white fangs were clearly visible protruding from the devious smirks on their faces.

The taller male spoke with authority and a bit of danger. "The ladies told you to leave."

"So get lost before we do something you'll regret." The second boy's tone held slight amusement, but it was serious and deadly, nonetheless.

Thought the brothers were very scared as they backed away, slowly they sucked it up and acted brave by way of insulting the aliens.

Big mistake.

"And what the hell are you supposed to be? Those fangs look totally fake! And what's with those ears!?"

"We could beat you guys up without breaking a sweat!"

"Really?" The shorter figure grinned evilly, further showing off those sharp, glistening canines. "Wanna bet?" he asked his partner menacingly cracked his knuckles. Before anyone could blink, the two brothers vanished in a cloud of dust, their shill, girly screams echoing in the distance.

Pai walked up behind Retasu, who was shaking like a leaf, and draped his own indigo cloak around her. He pulled her back against his chest, wrapped his arms around her, and whispered soothing words to her, which calmed the green mew down significantly.

Ichigo, on the other hand, took the initiative to turn and run into Kisshu's arms, wrapping her own arms around his waist. She clutched the back of his shirt for dear life and took deep, shaky breaths to regain some of her peace of mind while the green-haired alien gently rubbed her back, kissed the top of her head, and told her that everything was going to be okay.

After a few minutes, the girls were finally relaxed and back to their old selves. But before they could even utter a word of thanks, the scream of a young girl broke the silence.

"NO TARUTO!"

* * *

Purin and Taruto ran down the walkway of what they had decided was to be their final stop. Both bags were nearly filled to the brim, not to mention that the trick-or-treaters were starting to feel their sugar highs wearing off.

But as they turned the corner onto the street where they had left their companions their path was blocked by a group of five adolescent boys not but a year or two older than them.

The one that seemed to be the leader of the pack stepped forward and stuck his hand out expectantly.

"Hand over your candy!"

Taruto smirked as he chocked back a laugh at this kid who was wearing a Superman costume that was two sizes too small. "I don't think so, dork."

Purin couldn't help but giggle as well. "Yeah, go get your own!"

The older boy glared at Taruto before snorting out a laugh. "Look who's talking, you little shrimp!"

Taruto scowled at the comment and strode forward. He grabbed "Superman" by the collar of his shirt and, using his alien strength, lifted the boy off of his feet. "What did you call me?!"

Purin walked over to the brunette and gently put her hands on his arm to calm him. "Come on Taru-Taru, put him down. He's not even worth it."

Taruto sighed as he set the "dork" back on the ground. Without even registering it, he took Purin's hand, grabbed the bag of candy he had so unceremoniously dropped, and walked away.

They hadn't gone five feet before the boy's voice rang out. "Yeah, run away and take that ugly girl with you!"

Taruto stopped dead in his tracks and turned back around.

Seeing that he had caught the younger boy's attention, the kid taunted him further. "You heard me! Get her out of here! Just looking at her is making my eyes burn!"

That did it. Taruto snapped.

Lunging at the older boy, Taruto pinned him to the brick wall behind them. He then pushed his forearm into the boy's throat while making strange gestures with his free hand. Vines of ivy wrapped themselves around the bully's legs as they slowly crept up his body holding him in place.

"NO TARUTO!"

The alien's eyes nearly bled red with rage. As he released the boy's throat, the boy gasped for air, inhaling greedily; he had started to become lightheaded from lack of oxygen. The topaz-eyed tween floated up to be eye-level with his opponent. He snarled angrily. "Never ever talk about my girl like that again. Understand?"

The boy tried to choke out an answer, but was too frazzled to speak clearly or coherently.

It ticked off Taruto more.

"I said DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" The boy just nodded dumbly. "Good."

"Is there a problem?" asked an amused voice from behind the alien boy.

Taruto set his feet on the ground and turned to face his older comrades, already wincing at the onslaught of lectures and punishments he knew were coming.

"Taruto." Pai's tone held anger, disappointment, and….humor? "You know better than to use your powers against humans. That battle ended long ago."

The brunette's expression turned strong and determined as he squared his shoulders, staring directly back at Pai. "The guy deserved it. He was disrespecting Purin! I had to do something."

Pai and Kisshu looked at each other and gave a stiff nod.

Kisshu smirked, revealing one ivory fang. "Well, it looks to me like you taught him a lesson, don't you think?"

Taruto grinned at his companions. Flicking his wrist carelessly, the ivy vanished and the other boy fell on his butt.

The youngest alien looked down and glared at the boy who was now rubbing his sore backside. "And remember, if you come near me or Purin again, you won't be as lucky."

The boy nodded again before scrambling to his feet and backed away slowly. Kisshu couldn't help himself. Teleporting directly in front of the gang leader, the emerald-haired teen bent over, grinning.

"Boo!"

The boys nearly jumped out of their skins and raced around the corner and out of sight. The group of teens burst into fits of laughter. Even Pai had to admit that it was funny. Everyone was laughing…except Purin.

"Hey, are you okay Purin?" Retasu asked out of concern. "Purin?"

When she didn't answer, it caught the aliens' attention.

The youngest mew's head was bowed, but they could still see a faint blush coating her slightly tanned cheeks.

"I - I think I'd be-better go. It's getting late."

"Do you want me to walk you home?" Taruto asked as a light blush crept onto his cheeks as well.

Purin hesitated a moment before nodding. "I'd like that."

* * *

Once they reached Purin's house, she walked up the front steps and unlocked the door. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Well," Purin started, "I had a lot of fun tonight."

"Me-me too."

"Um, Taru-Taru?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Did you mean what you said before? About me being your girl and all?" she asked quietly, in fear of waking her siblings. And to hide the excitement and embarrassment that caused her voice to waver.

Taruto looked every which way, refusing to make eye contact with her. "Well…I um…you see…that is…" the alien boy took a deep breath. "Yes Purin, I did mean it. To be honest, I really do like you-" His lips were suddenly silenced by hers.

The blonde mew's heart fluttered at his confession. She had actually been aiming for his cheek, but the brunette had taken that opportune moment to try and look her in the eyes. Brown and topaz eyes locked in surprise before closing in contentment.

It was over sooner than either of them wanted. Both children were blushing furiously. Purin giggled. "See you tomorrow?"

Taruto grinned. "Count on it."

The young girl smiled and closed the door behind her.

Taruto felt like his heart had wings. It lifted him up into the starry night sky.

* * *

Not long after the youngest couple left, Retasu took her leave, her date agreeing to escort her home as well. Once they arrived, Pai thanked her for her company. As he turned to leave, Retasu spoke up.

"Pai? Um, I never really got to thank you for saving me. And I, uh, I was wondering if you would like to come in and I could get you something to eat or drink?"

Pai gave her a small smile. "Thank you, but that really isn't necessary--"

"I insist. It just wouldn't be right if I didn't do something to show you my appreciation."

"Well, I suppose there wouldn't be any harm if I stay for a few minutes."

With that, she led him inside and sat him on the couch while she went into the kitchen to make some hot apple cider to remove the chill from their bones. She returned to the sitting room to wait for the drinks to heat. Sitting down next to the purple-haired alien, the green-haired mew stayed silent for a few minutes.

"Well, I had a good time tonight."

"Yeah. Yeah. Me too."

Retasu smiled at the flustered male. "Is-is there anything else I can do to thank you? A hot drink doesn't seem like enough after what you've done for me….."

Pai went from flustered to simply jovial in a nanosecond. "Well, there are two things I was thinking of."

"Really? What can I do?" she asked enthusiastically.

"First, will you be my girlfriend?"

The cerulean-eyed girl was stunned. Girlfriend? No boy had ever asked her to be his girlfriend. Now this "other-worldly" handsome guy was asking her?! It was safe to say she was ecstatic.

Pai panicked when she didn't respond immediately, and began stumbling over his words. "Of-of course if you don't want to….I completely understand…I mean…well…" His voice trailed off when he saw Retasu smiling shyly up at him, blushing lightly.

"Actually, I'd like that.." she whispered, her smile widening. "So…what was the other thing you wanted?"

"This." Pai quickly swooped down and gently pressed his lips to hers. She squeaked in surprise before her eyes fluttered closed. They stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity--but in reality, it had only lasted about a minute.

The two teens pulled away, startled by the timer buzzing in the kitchen signaling that the drinks were ready.

Retasu rose silently and made her way into the kitchen just as the doorbell rang.

"Um, Pai? Could you get that? My hands are kinda full."

"Of course. Anything for my little fish." When he heard her squeal with delight, he knew he had to use that nickname more often.

Upon opening the door, the purple-haired alien let a low, faint growl escape his throat.

"Listen Retasu. I just wanted to apologize…"

Instead of looking into the eyes of a green-haired goddess, the blonde boy was staring at the chest of a very angry alien. Lifting his head, his blue eyes narrowed as they clashed with indigo slits.

"What are you doing here?" the shorter boy spat in disgust.

"I could be asking you the same thing." the purple-haired male countered.

Just then, the shy girl in question appeared in the doorway. "Pai? Why don't you go have your drink before it gets cold. It's on the table next to the couch." she said pointedly, giving him a stern look that he found simply adorable.

Pai sighed in defeat. "Very well, darling." He turned to leave, but not before giving his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek and one final glare towards the intruder.

"So, Shirogane. What brings you here?"

Ryou stopped burning a hole through the alien's retreating back and focused his attention on the girl before him. "Well, I wanted to apologize earlier. I shouldn't have been so harsh. It was wrong of me to snap at you like that."

Retasu, for once perfectly calm and collected in front of her boss, just smiled. It was as if just being around Pai had given her a new confident air about her. "It's fine. It's in the past now."

The blonde returned her smile with one of his own. "I was hoping you would go to the movies with me tomorrow so I can make it up to you."

The mew gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Shirogane. Thank you for the offer. It was very sweet of you, but I'm already with someone." she said, glancing back into the dimly lit house.

Ryou frowned. "Ah, I see. Well then, I hope he makes you happy."

"Oh, I will." they heard a disembodied voice call from the sitting room.

Retasu blushed and looked down. Had he been listening the whole time?

The blue-eyed boy scowled, gave a curt bow, and turned around. "Have a good night." And with that, he stalked away in a huff.

The green mew signed and closed the door before walking back to the couch. Looking down at her new boyfriend, she began tapping her toe in an angry fashion, but with a smile on her face. "How much of that conversation did you hear?" Apparently being a couple, even though it had only just begun, had made both of them more outgoing, especially with one another. So it was a bit surprising when Pai let out a small laugh at Retasu's "angry" stance.

"Not much. I hadn't intentionally eavesdropped on your conversation. I do have enough honor to respect your privacy. But when that blonde boy mentioned taking you out on a date, he said it rather loudly. He seemed to be egging me on, and, well, I guess I took the bait…"

Retasu laughed as well. "Don't tell me you're one of those overly protective, possessive, jealous types."

He gave her a disgusted look that made her laugh even more. "You're making me sound like Kisshu." he said, chuckling. The green-haired girl turned around to grab her drink. She "eeped" in surprise when she felt Pai's hands on her waist as he pulled her onto his lap. "So, what if I am?"

Retasu giggled. "I swear. One little kiss, and you start acting like Kisshu." She turned around to look at him and gasped when she realized how close their faces were.

Pai took this opportunity to steal another sweet kiss. He pulled back and smirked at the slightly dazed look on her face. "I guess being like Kisshu isn't such a bad thing after all."

The porpoise mew pushed and stood up, yawning. "Well, it's getting late. I'm going to bed." When she began ascending the stairs, she looked back to see a frowning Pai. "I get off work tomorrow at four." She gave him a wink before heading to her bedroom.

Pai grinned before teleporting back to the ship.

* * *

She had no clue how she had gotten into this situation, surprisingly enough. And what's more, she wasn't complaining. After the other two couples had left, Kisshu and Ichigo had wandered around the city a bit, ending up back in the park.

Now the emerald-haired alien was laying on his back on the wooden bench, his head resting comfortably in Ichigo's lap. All the while, the ruby-haired girl ran her fingers through his soft locks of green hair, her eyes closed as her mind wandered.

'_I guess Kisshu isn't as horrible as I thought he was. He's kind, protective, considerate…maybe I should give him a chance…' _Her eyes slowly opened and the cat mew glanced at her watch.

10:55.

"NYA!" Ichigo screeched as she leapt out of her seat. This in turn, caused poor Kisshu to land face first in the dirt. The green-haired boy spit the brown substance out of his mouth and groaned.

"Owww. What was that for, Koneko-chan?" he asked, standing up and brushing himself off.

"It's ten fifty-five!"

"So?"

"I have to be home by eleven! And it's a fifteen minute walk!"

"Ichigo."

"I'll never make it in time!"

"Ichigo!"

"NYA! My dad's gonna kill me!"

Before she could race off, Kisshu grabbed her wrist. When the mew mew leader looked back at him, he smirked. "Kitten, did you forget who you're with?" He raised a brow and opened his arms as if to show himself off.

Ichigo gave him an embarrassed smile and the alien chuckled. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he teleported them to Ichigo's doorstep.

The redhead thanked him and tried to pull away, only to find herself still trapped in Kisshu's warm embrace. When she looked up at him with a questionable expression, he merely grinned. "Oh, come on Kitty-cat. Do you actually think that after a night like tonight, I'd let you go so easily?"

Ichigo sighed. She should have known this was coming. "Uh, well, thank you, Kisshu. I had a great time. Maybe we can do it again sometime." she said honestly. She had indeed felt a spark between them and wanted to see if there really was something there.

"Aww. Come on honey! I saved you! Can I get a kiss for my victory?" he asked, giving her a wink.

The pink mew smiled. "Now where have I heard that before?"

Kisshu pouted. "Yeah, and I didn't get a kiss then either."

Ichigo smirked as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Well, I'll just have to make up for that, won't I?"

The alien grinned. "So, I CAN kiss you?"

Ichigo blinked in a mild surprise. "You're actually asking for permission?"

He removed one hand from her waist and scratched the back of his head, giving her a sheepish smile. "Yeah, well…I really don't want to make good on that threat from earlier."

The ruby-haired girl stared at him a moment before giggling. But she gasped when she looked up to find his face much closer than it had been moments before. His hot breath caressed her cheeks and her eyes drifted closed…

"I-Ichigo?!"

The cat-eared girl froze. The green-haired alien cursed under his breath. They both turned to see Aoyama Masaya standing at the front gate, eyes wide and mouth agape.

"Ma-Masaya! Wha-what are you doing here?"

The black-haired boy, finally realizing that Ichigo was addressing him, closed his mouth, regained his composure, and tried to speak firmly, though there was a slight waver in his voice.

"Well, I - I was coming home from the hospital and I thought I'd drop by on the way home" he lied. He winced at how idiotic that sounded. In reality, he had just dropped his date from the Halloween party off at her house. Passing Ichigo's home was the most convenient route back to his place. It wasn't that he _wanted_ to lie to Ichigo, he just didn't want to hurt her with the truth. They had only separated a few weeks before.

Little did _any_ of them know that the redhead's heart was slowly being given away to one green-haired alien.

"Masaya, you don't need to lie to me."

"But I'm not--"

"Don't you think it's a little late to be 'dropping by'? And aren't both the hospital and your house on the other side of the city?" She raised an eyebrow quizzically. "You were with another girl, weren't you?" When he didn't answer, Ichigo sighed. "It's fine, Masaya. We aren't really together anymore. You've apparently moved on," she looked up at the emerald-haired boy that was holding her so tenderly in his warm embrace, "and I think I'm starting to as well."

"But with HIM?" Masaya pointed at Kisshu accusingly. "He's the enemy!"

"HE has a name, you know! And the aliens aren't our enemies any more, remember?"

The alien in question looked down at Ichigo in surprise. Never would he have imagined that the ruby-haired girl would stand up for him. She was taking his side for once--and against her precious Aoyama-kun no less!

Aoyama sighed in defeat. She was right. He didn't love her anymore. It wasn't that he didn't care for her, just not as deeply as before. "You're right. We really have grown apart." He took a deep breath, still uncomfortable with what he had to say next. "Well…I wish you the best of luck then. See you at school, Momomiya-san."

"Yeah, you too. Good night, Aoyama-san" she replied, her voice was steady and her tone was final. Masaya gave a small smile and a wave before continuing his journey home.

Ichigo let out a sigh of relief before smiling up at her alien date. "I really did have a great time tonight. We must do it again sometime."

Kisshu grinned. "I'm looking forward to it." Once again he lowered his head towards hers. And once again they were interrupted.

"Why isn't she home yet!?"

"Dear! She's probably on her way home right now!"

Ichigo sighed and looked back to see a very disappointed Kisshu, drooping ears and all. "I'm sorry Kisshu. I really should go in there before my dad goes ballistic."

The green-haired boy's frown deepened. "I guess your right."

"See you later?"

A sudden idea struck Kisshu and he smirked. "Of course. Bye Kitten." And with one final wink and a wave, he vanished. Ichigo smiled and looked at her watch.

11:05.

She groaned and walked into the house, dreading the onslaught of questions her father was going to shower her with.

"I'm home!"

* * *

The red-haired teen trudged up the stairs, exhausted from her father's questioning. Opening her bedroom door, she wearily walked in, closing the door behind her. She leaned against the cool wood, closed her eyes, and silently thanked Kami that the investigation was over and she could get some well-deserved rest.

"Hiya Koneko-chan!"

No such luck.

Her brown eyes shot open and locked with a pair of sparkling amber orbs. Her hand flew to her chest and she nearly shrieked in surprise. "Kisshu! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" she hissed.

The emerald-haired alien, who was sitting cross-legged on the girl's bed, leaning back on his hands, smirked at his cat-eared love interest. "No. I'm just getting you back from earlier."

Ichigo pouted, playfully, and crossed her arms. "Why are you here anyway? What do you want?"

Kisshu slid off the bed and walked over to Ichigo, wrapping his arms around her little waist. "I want my kiss." he replied, grinning when he saw her cheeks flush a pretty pink. Before she could respond, he pressed his lips gently to hers, pulling her tighter to him. She stood frozen for a moment, but soon relaxed in his embrace as she let her eyes close. Not long after, Kisshu pulled back, smiling. And it wasn't one of his normal, impish, perverted smirks, either. It was a sincere, sweet, loving smile. "WOW… Y'know, I always wondered what it would be like if you kissed me back."

"And?"

He gave her a fanged grin. "More amazing than I ever dreamed of." he whispered, causing her blush to darken at least three shades.

After Kisshu still hadn't let go a few minutes later, the mew mew looked up to see him smirking at her. "O-kay. Why are you looking at me like that? You got your kiss, what else do you want?

The alien let go and backed up a bit.

"Well, I need to ask you a favor…can I spend the night with you?"

"Huh? Wha-" Ichigo sputtered. Regaining her composure, she glared at the alien and raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

Kisshu put his hands up in defense. "Not like that Kitten! Not that I wouldn't want to…it's just too weird to go back to the ship tonight."

"What do you mean?" she asked, eyeing the boy up and down warily.

The young alien chuckled. "Well, the way things were going earlier, Taruto and Pai actually looked…_happy. _Just imagine, the two of _them_ in a good mood. I'm getting the chills just thinking about it! I'd never go to sleep!" He faked a terrified expression, making Ichigo giggle.

"Ichigo? What was that?"

"Nothing mom! It was--it was just the radio!" she lied.

"It's getting late!! I think you should go to sleep! You've had a pretty busy day!"

"You have no idea." she mumbled. "Okay mom! You're right! I need to get up early for my date tomorrow!" she called, winking at Kisshu, who was now back sitting on the bed. Oyasumi Nasai!"

Ichigo cringed as she heard her father's incoherent, and surely angry, babblings coming from the kitchen. She crossed the room in a huff and flopped down onto the bed. Looking to the side, the ruby-haired girl saw that the emerald-haired boy was just sitting there, gawking at her. She giggled and waved a hand in front of his fact to get his attention.

"Kisshu…_Kisshu_…?"

The boy grinned wickedly before grabbing her wrist and pulling her into his lap, wrapping his arms securely around her slender waist. "So, back to what we were talking about before…can I stay the night?"

The pink mew sighed. "I suppose…but only if you-" she was cut off was Kisshu swiftly pressed his lips to hers again, this kiss a bit more passionate than the last. When he pulled back, he couldn't help but smirk at the dazed look on her beautiful face.

After Ichigo had come back to her senses, she pulled out of Kisshu's grasp, grabbed her fleece pj's, and locked herself in the bathroom to change. When she came out, Kisshu was lying comfortably on his side…under the covers of her bed! "Come here, Kitten." he grinned, pulling back the covers and patting the empty space beside him.

Ichigo shook her head and glared at him. "Uh-uh, no way. On the floor, buddy."

The alien frowned. "Aw, come on, honey. I promise I won't try anything."

The redhead let out an aggravated growl-she knew she couldn't win. He was more stubborn than her. So, reluctantly she walked across her pale pink carpet and laid down on her bed as Kisshu pulled the covers over them and wrapped an arm around her.

"Whoa!!" Ichigo squeaked when he pulled her towards him and spooned his body around hers. "K-Kisshu!" she hissed.

"Shhhhhh. Just relax honey. I told you I wasn't going to try anything."

The cat mew sighed and relaxed in the alien's embrace. "Good night, Kisshu."

Kisshu grinned into her hair when she didn't put up much of a fight.

"Sweet dreams, my Koneko-hime."

Ichigo blushed before falling into a fitful sleep.

Just before Kisshu joined her in sweet slumber, six young teens were thinking the exact same thing.

"I love Halloween."

* * *

Yes, I know it's probably long enough to be a short chapter fic- but I just couldn't stop writing! Oh well. Again I apologize if there is any OOCness in here. I've never tried working with Pai/Retasu or Taruto/Purin before.

Any who, I hope you enjoyed it, and I dedicate this fic to Ai-chan!- This was a lot of fun, ne?

Oh, and just so you guys know (if you haven't checked my bio), "Snowed In" WILL be a chapter fic- but I need your help. There's a poll on my bio, please take a look!!

Enough of my rambling- see you next time!

Safaia Bara (huggles)


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